Research Assistant - Human Robot Interaction
About The Position
The Research Assistant will join the Human Aware Interaction Learning (HAIL) team to support research into human-robot interaction in real-world environments. The role combines in-person human-subject research, experimental design, hands-on robotics, participant interaction, and data analysis. The assistant will help conduct studies in office, laboratory, and field settings involving robotic platforms such as mobile robots and robotic arms, and contribute to research aimed at safer, smarter, and more intuitive collaboration between people and robots. The position involves preparing and executing experiments, coordinating participants and study logistics, operating and troubleshooting robotic systems, guiding participants through studies, and collecting and analyzing research data. The assistant will also support qualitative analysis, literature reviews, research reporting, and the maintenance of organized study records and datasets. The role is a 12-month contract with an option to renew and is 100% onsite in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Requirements
- Bachelor's or Master's degree in Human Factors, Human-Robot Interaction, Cognitive Science, Psychology, Robotics, or a related discipline, or equivalent professional experience.
- Hands-on experience participating in or conducting at least one in-person human-subject research study, such as academic research, an honors thesis, a master's thesis, or professional research.
- Experience collecting, managing, or analyzing quantitative research data.
- Proficiency with Python or experience using another analytical programming language, such as R or SPSS, with willingness to learn Python.
- Experience working in an academic research or laboratory environment.
- Strong interpersonal, communication, and participant-facing skills.
- Ability to troubleshoot technical equipment or systems independently during live experiments.
- Excellent organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to manage multiple research activities.
Nice To Haves
- Previous experience working with robotic systems, mobile robots, robotic arms, quadruped robots, or autonomous platforms.
- Experience conducting human-robot interaction or human factors research.
- Familiarity with survey design, experimental randomization, and survey logic.
- Experience analyzing qualitative research data, including coding and identifying themes.
- Strong Python skills for statistical analysis and research reporting.
- Experience supporting research involving older adult participants.
- A friendly, empathetic, patient, and adaptable approach to working with people.
- Confidence troubleshooting technical challenges in real time.
Responsibilities
- Assist in designing, preparing, and executing in-person human-robot interaction experiments.
- Conduct user studies in office, laboratory, and field environments.
- Coordinate study schedules, participant recruitment, research materials, and daily logistics.
- Develop research protocols, questionnaires, interviews, and experimental materials.
- Create research stimuli, including videos, animations, and physical mockups.
- Set up and operate robotic systems during live research studies, including mobile robots, robotic arms, and other robotic platforms.
- Troubleshoot technical issues independently and adapt to unexpected challenges during experiments.
- Guide participants through experiments, surveys, and interviews, creating a welcoming and professional experience.
- Follow research protocols and maintain accurate study documentation.
- Collect, organize, and analyze quantitative research data using Python, R, SPSS, or similar tools.
- Identify patterns, interpret findings, and help translate research results into actionable insights.
- Support qualitative data coding and categorization.
- Conduct literature reviews and contribute to research reports.
- Maintain organized research records, datasets, and study documentation.
Benefits
- Hands-on exposure to advanced robotic platforms and human-centered research.
- Opportunity to build experience in experimental design, participant studies, robotics operations, and data analysis.
- Varied work involving experiments, participant interaction, technical troubleshooting, and research analysis.
- Opportunity to collaborate with researchers at the intersection of robotics, psychology, and human behavior.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
